May 15, 2000 - Belgian brewing giant Interbrew may close its £400 million deal to acquire the historic British Whitbread Brewery by the end of the week. Whitbread, which exits brewing after 258 years of making beer, is also close to completing the sale of 187 former Swallow pubs to Enterprise Inns.

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Whitbread has brewed Interbrew's Stella Artrois brand under license since 1976. Stella accounts for about a third of the six million barrels a year produced by Whitbread. Heineken, for which Whitbread brews about 1.4 million barrels a year, was also a contender to buy the brewery.

The other main brands brewed at Whitbread's breweries in Manchester, Magor, Gwent, and Samlesbury, Lancashire, are Boddingtons and Murphy's.

Both Heineken and Interbrew are also among the bidders for Bass Brewers, along with South African Breweries and Carlsberg. Carlsberg is considered the frontrunner.